"Just driving down the motorway, you see the big stadium alongside and to think they could be playing Championship football is just unthinkable. If you'd said that three or four years ago, you wouldn't have believed it. But times change."

"If you look at where they have been in the past, they have not only been top dogs in the midlands but a very big team," added Foster.

"Look back only four years ago or so, they had the likes of James Milner, Ashley Young and Gareth Barry, they were beating the top teams regularly and finishing in the top six season in, season out.

"It's a bit of a fall from grace. Times change. With the state of the economy, clubs have had to tighten up and you can notice it around Villa quite a lot to be honest.

"I'm sure in two, three, four years time, they (the young players) will all be fantastic, doing great jobs in the Premier League. But for now, it's tough for them. The inexperience really does show. It's hard for them at the minute."